Wednesday, July 01, 2009

SACRAMENTO- Today, the California Air Resources Board adopted aregulation that will require new cars sold in California,starting in 2012, to have windows that reflect or absorbheat-producing rays from the sun. This will help keep carscooler, increase their fuel efficiency and reduce global warmingpollution.

Cooler cars mean less air conditioning thereby increasing fuelefficiency and preventing about 700,000 metric tons of carbondioxide from entering the atmosphere in 2020 - roughly theequivalent of taking 140,000 cars off the road for a year.

"This is a common-sense and cost-effective measure that willhelp cool the cars we drive and fight global warming," said ARBChairmanMary D. Nichols. "It represents the kind of innovativethinking we need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ourvehicles and steer our economy toward a low-carbon future.

A variety of new and currently available approaches will be usedto achieve the standards including adding chemicals to the glassduring manufacturing to absorb the sun's energy and usinglaminated glass coated with invisible microscopic specks of metalto reflect it. Windshields that comply with the standard willcontinue to offer full visibility.

Compared to cars currently in showrooms, windows that complywith the standard will block 33 percent more heat-producing raysfrom the sun. This will cool the vehicle's interior byapproximately 14 degrees Fahrenheit for a car and 12 degreesFahrenheit for a pickup or SUV. Lower temperatures require lessuse of air conditioning, both upon starting a car parked in thesun and while driving in sunny conditions.

Other benefits include a cooler interior upon entering the car,less time for the air conditioning to reach a comfortabletemperature, and reduced fading of upholstery and cracking of thedashboard.

The regulation has two steps. Over a three-year period startingin 2012 windows in new cars sold in California must prevent 45percent of the sun's total heat-producing energy from enteringthe car, with the windshield rejecting at least 50 percent of thesun's energy.

In 2016 car manufacturers will be required to install windows innew cars sold in California that prevent at least 60 percent ofthe sun's heat-producing rays from entering the cars interior, orpropose alternative technologies to achieve an equivalentresult.

Costs for the windows are expected to average $70 for the 2012standard, and about $250 for the 2016 standard, with annualsavings in gas of $16 and $20 respectively. Costs would berecouped over a five to twelve year period.

This initiative follows on the heels of a series of othermeasures adopted by the Board under AB 32 (NЗЯez, 2006),California's pioneering climate change legislation, to reducegreenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. These include a standardfor cleaner lower-carbon vehicle fuels, and a regulation toensure tire pressure is checked at smog check, oil change andother maintenance facilities.

California is also awaiting approval of a waiver from thefederal government to enforce standards under its Clean Car Lawthat will reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30 percent fromvehicles over the next seven years.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the CaliforniaEnvironmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote andprotect public health, welfare, and ecological resources througheffective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing andconsidering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all airpollution control efforts in California to attain and maintainhealth based air quality standards..